For Kansas, the dream of winning a National Championship became a reality
For Kansas, the run will remain forever unforgettable. For Bill Self’s squad, the six-game run began in Fort Worth, Texas, and ended in New Orleans, La. What took place during that six-game run catapulted Kansas to a level of greatness that only five other teams have experienced throughout the entire history of Kansas basketball.
As it turned out, Kansas, after winning the Big 12 regular-season championship and Big 12 tournament championship, wasn’t done. In fact, the Jayhawks were just getting started. Along the way, Kansas also became the winningest program in the history of college basketball.
In earning the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region, Kansas opened up the NCAA Tournament in Fort Worth, Texas. The Jayhawks began their quest to greatness against Texas Southern at Dickies Arena.
Kansas, in the opening round, defeated Texas Southern, 83-56. The Jayhawks were led by Remy Martin (15), Christian Braun (14), Dajuan Harris (12), Jalen Wilson (11), and Ochai Agbaji (11). The Jayhawks, in leading by as many as 32 points, led the Tigers for 37:07 and trailed for just 1:56 of actual game time.
In the second round, Self’s squad defeated Creighton, 79-72. Playing without Ryan Kalkbrenner, who suffered a season-ending injury against San Diego State the game prior, the Blue Jays had Kansas up against the ropes, but the Jayhawks made some key plays down the stretch, including a steal and dunk by Ochai Agbaji late in the game, to advance to the Sweet 16.
Against Creighton, Remy Martin scored a game-high 20 points, while Ochai Agbaji added 15 points and eight rebounds, and Jalen Wilson chipped in 14 points and 14 rebounds.
In advancing to Chicago, Ill., site of the Sweet 16, Kansas, while playing inside the famed United Center, advanced to the Elite Eight by defeating Providence. The Jayhawks led, 26-17 at the half, but were outscored in the second half, 44-40.
Kansas, in leading for 35 minutes, was led by Martin, who scored a game-high 23 points, and Jalen Wilson, who added 16 points and 11 rebounds.
On March 27, Kansas saved its best performance in the United Center for its last during its time in Chicago. After trailing Miami by six points, 35-29 at the half, Self’s squad blasted the Hurricanes, 47-15 in the second half. Kansas could do no wrong against Miami after halftime and cruised to the Final Four, 70-56.
Ochai Agbaji led the way with 18 points, while David McCormack added 15 points and Christian Braun chipped in 12 points.
After spending a few days in New Orleans, La., site of this year's Final Four, Kansas finally took the court against Villanova on April 2 and, in advancing to the National Championship game, never trailed the Wildcats.
In leading for 39:41 of game time, David McCormack scored 25 points and pulled down nine rebounds, while Ochai Agbaji added 21 points, Jalen Wilson tallied 11 points and 12 rebounds, and Christian Braun finished with 10 points and five assists.
Kansas defeated Villanova, 81-65 to advance to the National Championship game.
Two nights later, Kansas and North Carolina met on the first Monday night in April for the biggest prize the game has to offer. Playing for the right to be crowned National Champion, the Tar Heels jumped all over Self’s squad early on and led by 15 points, 40-25, at the half.
However, in the second half, Kansas looked like a completely different team and outscored North Carolina, 47-29. Five players, Wilson (15), McCormack (15), Martin (14), Braun (12), and Agbaji (12) scored in double-figures for Kansas, but it was McCormack that sealed the game late for the Jayhawks.
Up by one point late in the game, McCormack, with Brady Manek on his back, connected on a shot deep in the post that gave Kansas a three-point lead with 22 seconds left in the game. North Carolina had one final shot to tie the game, but Caleb Love came up short on his three-point attempt and, as the final buzzer sounded, Kansas had emerged victorious, 72-69.
Kansas, for the first time since 2008, walked off the court victorious on the first Monday night in April.
“There wasn't much inspiration,” said Self. “I did tell them before the half was over, I said, which would be harder, being down nine with two minutes left or being down 15 with 20? And they all said being down nine with two minutes left. So, we can do this. And because that's the way it was in '08.
“And we got, what did we get, three or four stops in a row to start the half,” he added. “And 15 went to nine like that (snapping fingers) and it was anybody's game. It was special how Juan triggered that to start the second half.”
The outcome of Monday night's National Championship game wouldn’t have been possible without David McCormack, the 6-foot-10, 250-pound forward from Norfolk, Va.
McCormack, against North Carolina, scored 15 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. Offensively, he converted 7-of-15 field goals and was 1-of-2 from the free-throw line.
McCormack, late on Monday night, talked about what it felt like to score the last two baskets in the biggest game of the season.
“It was a big play,” said McCormack. “And it shows how much trust Coach and teammates have in me. Coach called the play and said we're going to throw it inside and we have trust in you and faith in you to deliver and get us a basket.
“I just prevailed, I made the basket happen,” he added. “I appreciate them for allowing me to have that opportunity.”
On a night when Kansas needed to be at its best, especially after trailing by 15 points at the half, a couple of players stepped up a made game-changing plays in the second half.
Braun, the 6-foot-7, 218-pound guard from Burlington, Kan., converted two layups midway through the second half that pulled Kansas to within one point of North Carolina. His assist with 10:21 left in the game put the Jayhawks up by three points, 53-50, over the Tar Heels.
Wilson, the 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward from Denton, Texas, drilled a shot from behind the arc that increased KU’s lead over UNC to four points, 63-59. Wilson, with 10:08 left in the game, converted an old-fashioned three-point play after being fouled on a drive to the basket.
Wilson, who finished the game 5-of-13 from the field, 1-of-5 from behind the arc, and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line, also pulled down four rebounds, dished out two assists, and blocked one shot.
Agbaji, who opened up the game with a big shot from behind the arc for Kansas, made a number of big-time plays for the Jayhawks on Monday night. Agbaji, the 6-foot-5, 215-pound guard from Kansas City, Mo., tied the game at 50-50 with 10:53 left in the game following a layup and made free throw. His one assist of the game pulled Kansas to within one point of UNC with 12:44 left in the game.
A case could be made that, aside from McCormack, nobody made more big plays for Kansas on Monday night than Remy Martin, the 6-foot-0, 175-pound guard from Burbank, Calif.
Martin, in 21 minutes of action, scored 14 points, pulled down three rebounds, dished out one assist, blocked one shot, and was credited with one steal. Martin, in the National Championship game, hit 5-of-9 field goals, including 4-of-6 shots from behind the arc.
Just how good was Remy Martin on Monday night? His first three of the game, which came with 10:27 left in the first half, extended KU’s lead over North Carolina to four points, 18-14.
With 10:21 left in the game, Martin drilled another three, which broke a tie and gave Kansas a three-point lead, 53-50. Martin, with 7:19 left in the game, drilled another three, which gave Self’s squad a three-point lead, 60-57.
For Martin, his final three of the game came when Kansas needed it the most. Tied with just 2:40 remaining in the biggest game of the season, Martin squared up from behind the arc and, like he’d done three times prior, drilled one of the biggest shots of his career.
Martin, who also blocked a shot with 54 seconds left in the game, couldn’t have picked a better game to have a big night from behind the arc.
“This year has been a tough year individually for me, just injuries and just hard to find a groove sometimes,” said Martin. “But it felt great. These guys have been amazing throughout the whole process. They've always kept me going, and they always gave me confidence. And I couldn't ask for a better group.
“In the second half, I just came in there, tried to make something happen and shot the shots with confidence and just tried to make plays,” he added. “Dajuan did a great job and the team did a great job of getting that lead back, and I just didn't want the deficit to change. I wanted to keep going and extend that lead. And I'm happy that we did that.”
Braun, Wilson, Agbaji, and Martin all made plays that made a difference on the biggest stage that college basketball has to offer.
However, on a night when Kansas and North Carolina became the most-watched NCAA Division I men’s basketball National Championship game ever on cable television, David McCormack played the biggest role in Kansas capturing its sixth National Championship.
At one point in the first half of Monday night’s National Championship game, Kansas trailed North Carolina by 16 points. The 16-point deficit is the largest ever overcome in a championship game in NCAA history.
While addressing the media late on Monday night, McCormack, to the surprise of many, said he was smiling at halftime and showed no signs of panic or quit. Braun, not surprisingly, had no idea how to respond to McCormack at that time.
“He was looking at me, and I was like, why are you smiling, dude? We're down 15,” said Braun. “He was telling me, like, keep your head up, keep going, we'll be all right. I was, like, man, I don't know if I've ever been here before. (Laughter).
“Down 15 in a national championship game, I definitely never been there,” he added. “But we're just proud of him and he kept us going and then obviously hit a really big shot.”
McCormack, with the game on the last, was simply at his best. His layup with 1:21 left in the game gave Kansas a one-point lead, 70-69. Following a turnover by North Carolina on the other end of the court, Self, after a timeout, went right back to McCormack.
After his first attempt came up short, McCormack pulled down his final offensive rebound and, despite being surrounded by several Tar Heels, went back up with confidence and his shot fell through the bottom of the net.
As it turned out, McCormack scored the final four points of the game for Kansas. Down 69-68 late in the game, McCormack, without question, delivered the biggest four points of the game for Kansas.
While Agbaji was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four, he believes that award should have been given to McCormack.
“He talked to me about it,” said Agbaji. “Obviously on the podium there just then and in the podium when we were in Chicago. But I wouldn't say winning the most outstanding player of this, I don't really care because we won the national championship.
“But if I really had a most outstanding player throughout the entire Final Four it would be David,” he added. “We got here at the same time. These goals and dreams that we're living right now we never would have thought it when we first stepped foot on campus, but now living it and living it with him and leaving here with history and history in our name it just means so much to the both of us and obviously Mitch and all the guys here.”
After a number of heartbreaking losses in March, Kansas, for the first time since 2008 and for the second time under Bill Self, emerged as the last team standing on the first Monday night in April.
In a game where banners are hung, legends are made, and teams are never forgotten, Kansas walked off the Caesars Superdome court with its sixth National Championship trophy in hand.
Before walking off the court on Monday night, there were plenty of hugs to be had, high-fives exchanged, and tears that will last a lifetime.
What started out as a dream became a reality late on Monday night. For Bill Self and Kansas, it was the perfect ending to a season that saw this team experience a little bit of everything, both on and off the court.
“That wasn't on my mind, but I do feel that as many good teams as we've had over time, that we could have had more than one,” said Self. “So even though, like I said earlier, I never felt pressure from anybody that we had to do this. But I knew with what we've had that we easily could have done more. I actually think it means a lot to me. And this year, I don't know how these guys feel about me, but I've never felt more connected to a group than I have this year.
“And when you go through stuff and when individuals go through stuff, everybody deals with crap,” he added. “But I never said a word to these guys about anything I was going through, but they rose their own level to a level that propped me up. This is what makes coaching the best, because players can learn from coaches, but certainly, coaches can learn from players.”